Sacrifice for a Life
by MerlinandArthurLover
Summary: Merlin is still thinking about what Lancelot did even after returning to Camelot. Wishing that he could change time and bring his friend back to him. This is being contined. Spoilers for series 4x2 and some for 4x3.
1. Sacrifices

Sorry for the really long wait for updates on all of my stories, but I am now back to finish every story that I have as well as write knew ones. After seeing the second episode of the new series of Merlin tonight I had to write this as it just wouldn't leave me alone.

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><p>Merlin had so many memories of him that he would never forget. The first time that they met, the first time that he tried to help him. The first time that some one discovered his secret.<p>

He was the one person, apart from Gaius that knew. He had never said a word to any one, never betrayed him and he ended up with this as his destiny. All to keep him alive. Merlin hated it, but at the same time it made some part of him happy.

Lancelot was some one who Merlin trusted and Merlin believed that he felt the same.

Merlin had trusted Lancelot enough to reveal to him his biggest secret and his most dangerous friend, Kilgarrah. Lancelot had been afraid at first, Merlin could sense that, however he made no move to kill the dragon even after it started speaking to him and had breathed fire on to the doroca to save them.

Lancelot had been the friend that had been willing to travel back to Camelot with him, even though he could have been killed trying. He was the one who didn't give up on him, believed in him to the end and maybe, just maybe still did.

He knew that he would have done any thing to save his friend, he saved one, but he just couldn't manage to get the person who understood him safe. His destiny may lie with Arthur's, but he was sure that it could of lied with Lancelot as well.

Merlin sat in his room staring emptily at the wall. He felt so useless at the moment, like he couldn't do any thing right for any one.

Lancelot was a friend, more than just a friend, a brilliant friend. Yet Merlin still couldn't save him. He remembered how he felt his heart skip a beat as he looked over at Lancelot. The smile that graced his friends lips, before he turned to the screaming voices and sacrificed himself, opened arms.

Merlin banged his hand against the wall in a mix of frustration and sadness. All that he could do was shout _'no.' _Why didn't he run after Lancelot pull him back out of the way. Even better why didn't he join him, follow him, be with him. Even better than that he could have never let it happen. Never let Lancelot do that, he had told Lancelot that he planned to sacrifice him self.

Merlin allowed the tears to fall from his eyes. He couldn't care at the moment if Arthur or all of the knights walked in, his friend was gone.

There was a light knocking on the door to his room and Merlin only just managed to choke out a simple _'come in' _to who ever was knocking.

"Merlin, Arthur would like you to-" Gaius stopped speaking at the sight of his ward, "Merlin are you alright?" It was a question that they both knew the answer to, however it was always asked. Always.

Merlin found him self walking down the halls later as he headed over to Arthur to see what he wanted now. Gaius had mentioned some thing about the knights being with him, but Merlin couldn't really care for any thing at the moment, not even Arthur.

In the end, Merlin decided not to go straight to Arthur's as he still looked a mess and you could easily notice that he had been crying, so instead he headed outside. He didn't care as the rain pelted his small figure almost wishing to beat him in to the ground, but not being able to do so.

Merlin felt his steps become heavier the wetter his clothes became. The skies were dark and Merlin could still see the moment that Lancelot died clearly playing out in front of him.

Lancelot died for Camelot, for Arthur and for him. Merlin knew that he could still complete his destiny, however he wasn't sure that he wanted to do that with out Lancelot by his side.

He allowed his mind to wonder back to the first time that he had visited the Isle of the Blessed. The time that he first found the cup of life. He hadn't expected it to be the same place that he would lose Lancelot. He remembered how that was where he had been told that it was a simple thing.

A life for a life.

And tonight Lancelot gave his life. Tonight he saved every one, even people that he had never met. Merlin just wished that he could give his life now for Lancelot's. After all Lancelot made a sacrifice for a life surely there was nothing to say that he couldn't do the same, however Lancelot's sacrifice wasn't one that you could take back.

The rain eventually brought Merlin out of his deep thoughts, however he still had Lancelot on his mind. He knew that he would never forget the friend that he had lost. With that he turned to leave and head to Arthur's, however there was one thought that plagued him as he walked up the stairs.

Lancelot made a sacrifice for a life. For his life and for that Merlin owed him his life in return and one day he was sure that he would find a way to get his friend back. No matter what it took.

Even if he had to make a sacrifice for a life in return.

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><p>I hope you like this. Thanks for reading and please review. Also please tell me whether you want this continued or not. I think that I like it on it's own, however if you want me to continue I will do so happily.<p> 


	2. Replacing

Alright I have decided to continue with this story as so many of you liked it and wished for me to do so. So I hope you enjoy chapter 2

**Note: I have finally had the time to correct the lack of puntuction that was in this chapter. I uploaded this chapter in a different format as I forgot to change it, so I'm sorry for how it was before, but it's corrected now :)**

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><p>Merlin walked up through the halls to Arthur s room still not caring as to where he was really going. He had a much better place that he would like to be in at the moment, although he highly doubted that he would get enough time to go there soon.<p>

When he got to Arthur's room he did the same thing that he always does, which is walking straight in with out knocking on the door. He was also well aware that it was some thing that Arthur hated him doing, however he couldn t care less at the moment.

When he walked in he saw that what Gaius told him had indeed been right. Arthur was sat at his desk while the knights sat around the table. Well all of them apart from Gwaine who was laying with his feet on Arthur's bed, an action which had obviously gone unnoticed by the prince or Gwaine would probably be in a lot of trouble at the moment.

As he shut the door, Percival turned to face him with a smile as he rose from his chair and began walking towards him.

His actions didn't go unnoticed by Gwaine who also smiled before parting his lips to speak.

"You kept us waiting Merlin." His voice broke the strong silence that had formed in the room and around the knights.

Arthur snapped his head up as Gwaine mentioned Merlin's name. He glanced at his servant before returning to his paper work and tried to go back to how he was a moment ago and hope that none of the others had noticed his reaction.

Luckily for him it seemed that no one had as they were all to busy focusing on some thing else.

"Your awfully late Merlin," Arthur began trying to make things as normal as possible even though they really didn t seem it at the moment, "What managed to catch your mind this time was it-" Arthur stopped speaking and raised his head once again, this time though his attention was on Gwaine who just shrugged in reply.

"Gwaine what are you doing?" Arthur asked not hiding his annoyance. How could he not have noticed that Gwaine was laying on his bed.

"Waiting for Merlin." He replied.

"Well Merlin's here now, so get up before I pull you up." Arthur said as he watched Gwaine stand up and head over towards Merlin and the others, muttering some thing under his breath that Arthur couldn't quite catch.

It was Percival that managed to notice a difference in his friend first, from the moment he had walked through the door. As soon as he entered the room, Percival gave him a smile. When he didn't return it, he walked over to him.

Gwaine had been the next to notice the arrival of the usually happy boy. Even then there was some thing that he seemed to miss.

The other knights also seemed to notice Merlin's arrival, however they didn t notice it either. Or maybe it was Percival just going crazy, but he was sure that some thing was wrong with Merlin.

Some thing didn't feel right.

Arthur had been the last to realise that Merlin was here, but still he didn t seem to notice. Maybe he really was going crazy, or at least that's what he was beginning to believe any way.

He placed a hand on Merlin s shoulder as Gwaine and the other knight's came closer to them. Percival couldn t have predicted that Merlin's body would be so cold.

Percival took a step back and looked at Merlin. He wanted to say nothing, but he couldn't help him self.

"Arthur come here." He said as calmly as he could. Merlin was shaking his head at him as if telling him not to call Arthur over, however Percival wasn't stopping the prince.

"What is it?" Arthur asked, sounding more annoyed than he did caring. Arthur did care, however he just couldn't push the caring side of him out.

"Merlin's soaking. "It was a simple sentence made up of simple words, however it brought on so many questions. Merlin mentally slapped him self for not changing clothes before coming to Arthur, or at least chucking his jacket back on.

"Merlin why are you soaking wet?" Arthur asked his servant surprised that his voice still didn t sound as caring as he had wanted it to.

"I walked here." Merlin replied trying to give Arthur a simple excuse. Why did Percival have to be so observant like Lancelot?

"It's not raining that heavily though." Elyan said as he looked out of the prince's window.

"It was when I walked here." Merlin lied. He couldn t believe how sure that lie had sounded. Maybe it was because he was used to lying now.

"No it wasn't." Percival replied before any one else could. Merlin was silently cursing Percival's observing skills.

"Look, why did you want me here any way?" Merlin asked. His question was more directed at Arthur, but the other knights were listening just as intently.

"Because we need to discuss some thing as a group." Arthur explained. His mind was already filling with thoughts of his birthday, which was quickly approaching, however he was desperately trying to push them to the back of his mind, so that he could focus on the issue at hand.

Merlin went to say some thing to Arthur, like a simple get on with it then, however some one else had the same idea, however they chose to speak before him.

"Arthur just get on with it, we don't all have the patience that Merlin has to wait around for you already." Gwaine said, once again managing to place a small faint smile on to Merlin's face.

It didn't last long.

"We need to discus what we're going to do now that Lancelot s gone," Merlin didn t like where this was going, but he knew how knights worked. If you lost a knight then you needed a knew one to put in the missing one's place, "We need to find a knight that s good enough to replace Lancelot and you can help us, if you want." Arthur finished.

One word in that sentence had tipped the scales to far for Merlin.

"Well you can try if you want Arthur, but I know that you can find any one who can replace Lancelot, he's irreplaceable, he's one of a kind," Merlin paused before adding, "And no Arthur I won't help you."

With that said Merlin walked out of the room allowing the door to slam shut.

"Well that was nice." Gwaine spoke sarcastically.

"I guess we ll just have to find a replacement for Lancelot ourselves then." Arthur replied as he walked back over to his chair and sat down, re-reading over the papers that were on the table before calling the knights over to view them to.

Sir Leon, Gwaine and Elyan moved almost instantly interested to see what sort of knights had written to Arthur in hope of joining the Knights of Camelot.

But, Percival stayed where he was for a moment. His eyes watched the door carefully. He could still imagine Merlin's image in his mind. The young boy was soaked right through and Percival could easily image Merlin being in trouble with Lancelot if the knight was still here.

Percival shook the thoughts out of his head before he walked over to join Arthur and the others at the table.

Merlin still didn t care that his clothes were soaked or that he was beginning to feel very cold. He just kept walking. The cave may be empty now, however it still served as a great place for thought.

The old, black chain still lay broken on the floor. The very same chain that had once trapped Kilgarrah in the blank space. Now that the cave was empty it served as the perfect place for Merlin to go when he wanted to be alone and not be found by any one at all.

He sat down on to the floor allowing Arthur's words to file in to his head again. Merlin couldn't put his shock in to words when he had heard that Arthur seriously thought about replacing Lancelot. Of course Merlin had known that they would have had to have filled Lancelot's empty position at some point, but couldn't Arthur have used a different word, one other than replaced?

Replace was a word that didn t fit in to a sentence with the name Lancelot. After all he wasn't dead.

Lancelot couldn't be dead.

However hearing Arthur say those words in a sentence had already given Merlin enough proof to tell him that Arthur had already given up on hope. Given up on thinking of some thing else that could magically happen. All that Merlin needed was to find someone that shared his belief. Although Arthur and the knights may have given up hope.

Merlin hadn't.

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><p>I hope you like this chapter as much as you liked the first one. Thanks for reading and please review. I decided to continue with this as so many of you liked this. Thanks for all of the reviews, favourites, alerts and support, it really means lot s to me.<p> 


	3. Hope

I not got much to say except for thanks for all of the reviews, so straight on with the story.

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><p>The next morning, the sun was shining again, but not in Merlin's mind. He was still sat down in the dragon's cave alone. Strangely though he was finding a form of comfort in his solitude.<p>

Although being sat in silence gave him plenty well to much time to think over Lancelot's death, it was almost better than being around, especially Arthur, Gaius and the other knights. None of them seemed to understand just how pained Merlin felt. All that they could think about was Camelot's safety and _'replacing' _Lancelot.

The knight who could never be replaced.

Merlin could feel the water that had been on his clothes had soaked through to his body and he suddenly felt a wave of coldness rush over him. The same coldness that he felt when he was in Morgana's dark presence. He felt the same about the isle of the blessed now.

How could you not feel cold about or hate a place that took people, friends and family away from you. And of course it was Morgana that caused Lancelot to be taken from him.

All of this was Morgana's fault.

If Morgana had never tried to kill Uther or betray them. If Morgana had never travelled to the Isle of the Blessed. If Morgana had never killed Morgouse and revived the Dorocha. If Morgana had never done any of this, then maybe, Lancelot would still be with them all. Sat here with Merlin now talking about Kilgarrah.

For Merlin knew that if Lancelot was still alive, if he was here now, that he would be desperate to learn more about the great dragon and how Merlin knew the creature. Merlin knew that he would be more than glad to tell his friend every thing.

If only Lancelot was here, then Merlin may not feel how he did at the moment, maybe Lancelot would be fighting with Arthur over who had the quicker reflexes as Merlin had commented on Lancelot's reflexes being slower than Arthur's before, although Merlin highly doubted that Lancelot would lose a fight to Arthur.

That would be entertaining. If it would ever happen.

Merlin slowly got up and began to walk the corridors again. He didn't go back to Gaius as he would then have to explain why he didn't come home last night, the fact that he was soaked and he would be bound to receive another lecture about not keeping wet clothes on as he could easily get ill.

He didn't want to return to Arthur's chambers as he would then have to explain why he left lest night and do more work. Merlin didn't really fancy doing any work for Prince prat at the moment.

He didn't want to go to Gwen's and bother her, after all she looked after the King now and still had to live on her own and do all of her own house work. Cooking and cleaning, of course Melrin could easily help her he would most likely get in the way more than help.

He really didn't want to go to the knight's training session as Arthur would be there as well as all of the other knights and Merlin didn't really want to be bombarded with too many questions at one time.

He didn't really fancy speaking to Gwaine although he may be able to shed some form of light on to the current situation, Merlin didn't really want to listen to all of Gwaine's jokes which did sometimes turn in to the opposite of what a joke was.

Sir Leon and Sir Elyan were both Merlin's good friends, but they couldn't really do all that much to help him. Besides Merlin felt lost as to what to do with him self some times around Sir Leon and what ever he told Sir Elyan, he would tell his sister, Gwen, out of care for him. Although Merlin didn't want that.

Merlin had already considered going to see Morgana when he was sat down in the dragons cave. He could speak to her, join her, work with her, try to get her to work with him and bring Lancelot back somehow. If the two of them worked together than they probably could do so, however he then decided that he could never do that, no matter how he felt, he could never work with her no matter what it would get him. He could never betray Arthur and the others. He would never work with her. Would he?

That only left him with one option and one person. It wasn't Merlin's favourite option, but it seemed to be the one that stood out from the others as his only real choice.

So Merlin guessed that he would have to take that one as his choice.

Which is how he ended up walking the streets of the city of Camelot looking around at every one who passed him. He passed Gwen's house, but he knew that at this time in the morning that she would be with the King.

The walk didn't take him very long and he was soon nearing his final destination. The beginning of the woods were quite dry and the ground and Merlin found that he wasn't slipping as much as he usually did. He probably only slipped in the first place, because Arthur always chose to go hunting when it had rained heavily a couple of days and the weather had then cleared up enough.

Arthur said that more animals came out in that sort of weather, but Merlin really wasn't convinced that that was actually true. He let those thoughts leave his head as he saw some one with their back to him, collecting some thing off of the wood land ground.

Merlin had found who he was looking for.

"Percival." Merlin spoke over the silence. His voice was only quiet and tender, however Percival still managed to hear it as the knight turned around to face him, his arms full of sticks of wood. In all different sizes.

"Hey Merlin. Are you alright?" Percival asked. Merlin could easily notice that his voice wasn't much louder than his own at the moment. Merlin thought that he had made the right decision coming to Percival.

"That's kind of why I'm here." Merlin answered. He was strangely nervous since he had lost Lancelot. It was almost as if having a knight who knew about his magic on his side reassuring. If any one in Camelot wanted to execute him for having magic, then surely they would have to execute Lancelot as well for knowing about his magic.

"Come on," Percival's voice reached Merlin's ears once again and the servant put his attention back on to the knight, "You can help me to collect wood and we can talk as we do so."

"You don't mind?"

"No of course not. I'd actually quite like the company really." Merlin could only guess that Percival was missing Lancelot as well. After all the two must have known each other for a long time. The last time that Merlin saw Lancelot was when the knight helped he and Arthur to save Guinevere.

Lancelot wasn't allowed back to Camelot so he had left them to go to some where else. Merlin guessed that he had met Percival there most likely in Haldor, which is where Lancelot had told him that he was probably going to go to. The two must have spent a lot of time together training to become the knights that they are now.

Merlin could remember how lost he had felt when he had received no word back from Lancelot when he had sent word to Haldor. Merlin just thought at first that Lancelot had gone to another village, however when Lancelot turned up with Percival he thought different. H should have known that he could keep his faith in Lancelot.

Merlin only wished he had been able to ask Lancelot about it, before the knight that died.

Percival and Merlin continued to walk through the woods, picking up any wood or sticks that were good enough for them to use back at Camelot. Ever since Uther had fallen ill, Arthur had been in charge and Arthur was now, after the recent dorocha incident making sure that they had lots of candles and wood to make fire, which was the reason as to why Percival was out collecting sticks and wood.

It was the job that he usually got given after all due to his strength. He could bring back twice of what Sir Leon and Sir Elyan could bring back put together.

"So Merlin, what's bothering you that you wanted to talk about?" Percival asked picking up another tree branch.

"Oh just nothing really," Merlin replied getting to nervous to actually speak to Percival at all, but one look changed that. With a sigh Merlin spoke again, "Lancelot's gone, Arthur gives me too much work, there's no one there to tell him off or challenge him, it's nothing much really."

"Merlin you're still wearing the same clothes that you were wearing last night." Percival said as he Merlin began to continue walking forward.

"So?" Merlin asked not seeing the knight's point.

"So you'll get ill if stay in wet clothes."

"Maybe that will be a good thing." Merlin mumbled quietly so that Percival deliberately couldn't hear him.

"What did you say Merlin?" Percival asked. Merlin replied with the first thing that he could think of.

"My legs are tired and the view from here is nice."

Percival seemed to contemplate this for a moment before speaking once again, "Then lets rest here for a while." The two sat down on the floor and Merlin remembered that this was the same place where he had nearly been caught for sorcery.

"Are you sure that your alright Merlin?" Percival asked again as he placed the collected wood and sticks on to the floor.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Merlin replied before deciding to try and change the conversation off of him and on to some thing else. Unfortunately the only thing that he knew he had in common with Percival was Lancelot. So that was the topic that Merlin had to bring up. No matter how much it pained him to speak of his fallen friend.

"I miss Lancelot." Merlin spoke. His voice was still quite quiet surprisingly.

"So do I," Percival started, "It's hard to get used to Lancelot not being here." Finally some one understood even if it was only slightly.

"How did you two meet?" Merlin asked still interested. After all he had never been told the story by Lancelot. He hadn't had time to tell it to him.

"We met in Haldor. He explained to me that he had been trying to become a knight. That it was his dream to become a knight of Camelot, but he wasn't allowed to step foot in Camelot any more."

"Yeah that happened when I first met him."

"He told me. He said that you were special, but he couldn't say why. He was loyal to whatever word he had given you," That reassured Merlin. Lancelot had never mentioned his magic. He had stayed true to his word, that was the Lancelot that Merlin knew so well."

"So why did you come to Camelot with him. You didn't have to?" Merlin asked interested.

"Cenred's men raided my village when I was a child and killed all of my family. When I heard from Lancelot that he was coming to help you to fight Cenred's men I decided to come with him and help you too."

"I hope that we can get Lancelot back." Merlin said sadly after hearing Percival tell the tale of how he and Lancelot met, it made Merlin even more desperate to have Lancelot back standing beside them.

"No Merlin, we will get Lancelot back and I'll help you even if no one else will."

Merlin almost smiled.

Percival obviously didn't see Lancelot as replaceable and Merlin thought that he might have finally found some one that he could talk to and rely on until he found away to get Lancelot back.

No wonder Lancelot and Percival were friends. Maybe Merlin could trust Percival enough to tell him the same secret that he had told Lancelot, well that Lancelot had found out about.

And just as Merlin had thought about giving up hope about Lancelot ever being able to return to this world alive, he had now found some one who wished for the same as he did.

Maybe Merlin had some one who could still give him some form of hope.

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><p>Thanks for reading, please review and thanks for reviewing.<p> 


	4. Promises

Sorry for the long wait, but my internet broke, so I couldn't upload any thing for a while. But at last here is the next chapter for you all to read.

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><p>Merlin and Percival made their way back to Camelot with all of the wood and sticks that they had collected. When the pair arrived they could see Arthur, Gwaine and Eylan stood in the training grounds watching some new people that Percival and Merlin didn't recognise fight.<p>

Leon was currently fighting one of these people and from what the two could see he was easily winning the fight against the less experience boy who was struggling to keep up with the Knights quick moving foot work.

"These must be the new Knights that Arthur's trying out." Percival said as he placed his lots of sticks down with the already huge stacked up piles of wood and sticks that he had been collecting earlier.

"New Knights?" Merlin asked. He had a feeling that he already knew what they were doing here, but he was sure that Percival knew more after all he had stayed in the room after Merlin had left last night.

"Yeah, he showed us loads of papers last night every single one said different things and it was more confusing than I thought it would be. He's looking for some one who can _'replace Lancelot'_ as he says." Percival replied being careful as to what he said to Merlin at the moment.

He knew why Merlin had left the room last night even if Arthur and the others didn't and he was more than aware that the same thing could happen again if he wasn't careful as to what he said as well.

Even though Percival knew that Arthur was never one to really think over what he said before he actually said it out loud, the knight had thought that he was just a little over the top last night with all the talk of replacing one of his and Merlin's best friends. Percival had even thought that Arthur had at least considered Lancelot to be a friend. Obviously he was wrong.

Arthur hadn't thought over any of the words that he had spoken last night and that Percival was very sure of. Arthur had obviously been paying no attention to Merlin last night in all honesty as he had never once noticed any differences and nor had he noticed that Gwaine was laying on his bed until he had looked up from his paper work.

The paper work that he had seemed more interested in than his friend.

For if Arthur had even focused on Merlin for a few moments last night he would have seen what only Percival had seen in the prince's manservant.

Not only had Arthur's words hurt Merlin last night, but they hurt him as well.

"He want find any one good enough." Merlin replied his voice bringing Percival back to the current world. Percival turned back to Merlin and took the sticks and logs of wood out of his friend's hands and added them to the pile as well while continuing his conversation with his raven haired friend.

"No Merlin your right," Percival said as he chucked the logs down on to the pile, "he won't."

It was only a little while after he had spoken that Sir Leon won and Arthur was already shouting instructions to the other Knights that stood across the grounds from him. Sir Leon swapped over with Sir Eylan and Arthur picked another want to be Knight to face him.

Merlin spent the rest of his day helping Percival out on any way that he could. Although a lot of Percival's work involved an awful lot of heavy lifting that Merlin couldn't believe was even possible to be able to complete. The reason that Percival wasn't training with the other knights was because Arthur didn't really think he needed any real form of training and the prince wanted every thing stocked up for the winter. After all he didn't want his people to freeze.

Merlin returned to Gaius's that night earlier than usual when he was working for Arthur, but Merlin guessed that today he hadn't really been working for Arthur and the Prince hadn't seemed to have missed his presence as he never once sent any one to call for him to come to Arthur. In a way he had been working for Percival all day, but he didn't really mind that.

It was more fun than he had had in ages, well since Lancelot had died that was any way.

Merlin had changed clothes, so he hopefully wouldn't get ill like Percival had said. But however hard Merlin tried to just couldn't get to sleep. So he stood from his bed and carefully set foot out of his room, Gaius's chambers and the castle.

He wasn't too far away from the castle when he was jolted out of his thoughts by a voice. A friend's voice.

"Where are you going off to now then Merlin?" Percival asked as he stepped out of the shadows that he had been hidden in.

"I-I." Merlin was unsure of whether to tell the truth to his friend or not. Telling him the truth was risky, but then not telling him the truth was just as risky. "I am going to see a friend." He replied.

"I don't think any one will be up at this time of night Merlin." Percival said as he walked over to his smaller and thinner friend.

Merlin smiled and almost started laughing slightly while Percival just looked on in confusion until Merlin spoke, "You are."

"Yeah well I couldn't sleep," Percival replied finally understanding what Merlin had found so funny, "Why are you up?"

"Couldn't sleep either." Merlin spoke. They both knew why they couldn't sleep and that was because of one person. One person that they had both known very well.

Lancelot.

"So are you coming with me or not?" Merlin asked. Percival nodded and the two began to walk at a slow pace.

"Sure where does your friend live then?"

"A little way outside of Camelot in the big clearing." Percival suddenly started to walk over towards the stables causing Merlin to look at him in question, "Where are you going?"

"We aren't going on foot Merlin." Percival replied and all Merlin could do was smile and follow his friend.

After a short ride the pair had reached the clearing, the journey made much quicker by the use of the horses. When they jumped off of their horses, Percival looked around in slight confusion. There was no house here, no people and no animals. How could Merlin possibly have a friend who lives all of the way out here?

"So where is your friend then Merlin?" Percival asked as he looked around the clearing. The pair were now stood in what seemed to be the middle of the wide open space.

"He's up there." Merlin said looking up. Percival did the same and honestly couldn't believe his eyes. That was a dragon; flying above him was a real life dragon. However he was sure that Lancelot had told him that Uther had killed all of the dragons, every last one of them.

So how was this one alive and free?

As the dragon landed in front of them, Percival drew his sword only to have Merlin pull it out of his hands grip and on to the grass covered ground that lay beneath their feet,

"Merlin I-" Percival started but Merlin quickly interrupted him.

"It's alright. Kilgarrah won't hurt us you don't need the sword." Why did Merlin call the dragon by a name? Percival had always thought that a dragon was called a dragon, but obviously he was wrong, they obviously did have names. After all Merlin had just called this one by a name.

"Hello friend." Merlin spoke, but this time to the dragon. Choosing now to call it by the term of friend. Percival wasn't one who knew much about dragons, but he did know that for Merlin to cal this one friend meant that he had known the creature for some time.

Merlin seemed to be right the beast wouldn't hurt them.

"Hello, young Warlock." The dragon replied. Warlock, now wasn't that a term for some one who practised magic? Although Percival wouldn't be surprised if it was true. The dragon turned to face him, "Tell me who your friend is?" He asked before turning back to Merlin.

"Kilgarrah, this is Percival, he was a friend of-" Merlin wasn't able to finish though.

"Lancelot, yes I know," At these words the Dragon looked almost sorry, bowing its head down slightly to Merlin, "I told you that Lancelot was a good friend when I met him." Wait Lancelot had met this dragon with Merlin before?

"Yeah you did," Merlin replied sadly, "I wish he was here now." It was Merlin and Percival's wish and it had been ever since the former knight's death.

"Oh, but he can be." Kilgarrah's voice spread through the air that surrounded them causing both, knight and warlock, to look at the dragon in complete silence filled with focus and hope.

"How?" It was Percival who spoke now taking a few steps close to the dragon who's head was still close to Merlin and which was now close to him to, "Please tell us how."

Percival and Merlin could see a small smile forming on the dragon's lips. It wasn't a smile that Merlin recognised as the dragons though. It wasn't Kilgarrah's look of sadness, but nor was it that smirk of his that he always put on when he gave the warlock some e form of riddle. Not that that happened all that much any more.

"What is it?" Merlin asked curious, "How do we find Lancelot?"

"It is not finding him that is the hard part of your journey young warlock; it is, but the rescuing that will prove to be difficult."

"How so?" Percival asked intrigued.

"Lancelot will be in the same place as the veil was when he sealed it. But to bring him back a price will be asked."

"The price of a life." Merlin mumbled to him self while Percival still remained focussed on the dragon.

"So we can save him?"

"Yes you can." Kilgarrah replied before looking at the rising sun, "I must be leaving young warlock, however you may always call me should you ever need me."

"Thank you, Kilgarrah." Merlin replied before the dragon flew of in to the air disappearing from any one who may have been up in these early sunlit hours sight.

"So are we going to save Lancelot?" Percival asked Merlin.

"Of course we are." Merlin replied, but his smile faded slightly, "But there's something that you should know first."

Percival didn't answer with words he just gave a small, silent nod of his head.

"I am a dragon lord and a warlock."

"Those words mean?" Percival asked.

"Well being a dragon lord allows me to call Kilgarrah to me when I need him like I did a moment ago and being a warlock means that I have magic, but I didn't learn it like some others do, I was born with it." Merlin explained.

"So it's a part of you?" Percival asked. Merlin just nodded, "Does Lancelot know this? The dragon said that he had met him?"

Merlin nodded, "Yeah this is what Lancelot meant when he told you that I was special. He wouldn't tell you though, he promised me that he would tell no one and he did just that. You won't tell any one about this will you?" Merlin asked nervously.

"What you mean tell Uther and Arthur that you have magic?" Percival asked, "Then no that is never going to happen. Lancelot trusted you and your magic, so I do to." The knight replied as he picked his sword up of the ground before once again speaking to Merlin as the sun rose higher up in to the brightening sky.

"Well we should probably get going then." Percival said as he mounted his horse, Merlin following to do the same thing.

"To the Isle of the Blessed." And so that was where the pair headed in those early sun filled hours.

And now Percival knew Merlin's secret the young, raven haired warlock felt much better and much safer. The whole way Percival and Merlin talked of magic and how Merlin had used it when he had known Lancelot and Percival spoke more of how the two had trained together in Haldor.

Percival understood why Lancelot had never told him every thing about Merlin, of whom he talked of so very often. Percival now knew why and yet knowing that Merlin had magic had not really changed his view on the servant. He was still Merlin and that was the same way that Lancelot must have seen it.

The former knight was loyal to Merlin and kept his word and promise and now Percival knew that it was his turn to do the same.

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><p>Okay so I hope you enjoyed this chapter I should have the next one up in a few days and the rest of my stories should be updated as well, starting with Destinies Rise.<p>

Thanks for al of the reavews so far and please keep reviewing and thanks for reading.


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